Remembering Ken

It was a bittersweet day for me (Annie): I had the afternoon off to attend a funeral. Ken was my first real boss when I was in my twenties, and one of the people in my life that’s been an enormous influence on me. He’s shaped my work ethic and attitudes in ways that few other people have.

The funeral was simple and lovely - we found out that at school he played Badger in the Wind in the Willows opposite Kenneth Branagh’s Toad! We then all decamped to a local pub to remember him and his life.

It’s a measure of him that 20 years or so since most of the people in the picture last worked together with him, we all wanted to take the time to attend today. Many more couldn’t be there today, but wanted to.

Despite his affectionate work nickname of “Scary Ken”, he was a wonderful man with a rapier-sharp sense of humour. We all left his shaping with the attitude of “how hard can it be?”, which has given us interesting and challenging lives ever since in equal measure. :)

From left to right: Fiona, John, Fiona, Ruth, Ian, me, Debra, Martin, Brian, Jon, Heidi, Dave, Liz, Tracy, Duncan, Mark, Ian, Peter.

(Slightly misty iPhone shot, because the poor photographer was standing out in the rain, while we were under cover!)

A sad reason to get together, but a great man to remember and a great bunch of people. There were many laughs.